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Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for Norwegian crossbreed grower pigs
Thea Blystad Klem1, Elisabeth Bleken, Hanne Morberg
1Department of Production Animal Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, N-0033 Oslo, Norway. thea.klem@nvh.no
Veterinary Clinical Pathology
|January 7, 2010
Summary
Updated reference intervals for Norwegian grower pigs were established, revealing notable differences in total white blood cell (WBC) count and certain biochemical markers compared to previous studies.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Science
- Clinical Pathology
Background:
- Establishing accurate hematologic and biochemical reference intervals is crucial for animal health.
- Existing reference intervals for Norwegian grower pigs are unavailable, and international data are outdated due to modern farming advancements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine updated reference intervals for hematologic and biochemical analytes in healthy Norwegian grower pigs.
- To compare these reference intervals across three different farms.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected from 104 healthy crossbred grower pigs (Landrace Yorkshire x Landrace Duroc) aged 12-16 weeks and weighing 30-50 kg.
- Automated hematologic and biochemical analyses were performed using ADVIA 2120 and ADVIA 1650 analyzers.
- Reference intervals were calculated using parametric or nonparametric methods based on data distribution.
Main Results:
- Data from 99 pigs were analyzed after excluding 5 samples due to hemolysis or outliers.
- Mean, median, minimum, and maximum values for various analytes were tabulated.
- Significant differences were observed in total white blood cell (WBC) count, creatine kinase and alanine aminotransferase activities, and albumin, bilirubin, and urea concentrations compared to prior studies.
Conclusions:
- The newly established reference intervals are essential for accurate disease diagnosis and health monitoring in Norwegian grower pigs.
- These updated intervals highlight significant variations from previously published data, emphasizing the need for current, region-specific reference values.
